Never Just Friends
by TheStrangeClaireBean
Summary: My Flashback twist on a MariChat story. Definitely lots of fluff. Spoilers for some of season two. Rated T because I'm paranoid.
1. The Question

**Alrighty guys! This story is a bit different than what I normally write. You'll find out why next chapter.**

**This is kinda my way of working around the MariChat cliches.**

**I am trying to go back to what I used to do in my old stories which is when I post a chapter I must always have the next chapter written. Therefore I can try to get back on a regular schedule for posting.**

**I have not forgotten my other two stories that I am working on. I know some of you are probably wondering when I'll ever finish The Lady Who Texted a Chat… I'm not sure exactly? I kinda feel lost working on that story because I don't have LadyoftheBirds with me anymore. **

**I can't really promise that I'll finish it anytime soon but I will do my best.**

**Anyways onto the story?**

I wake with a start with a phantom feeling of lips having been pressed to mine.

"Plagg?" I moan in frustration with myself.

He grumbles in his sleep and refuses to wake. I stare up at the high ceilings of my bedroom, lost in thought. _Just another dream..._

More often than not my dreams have been startling me awake. Memories of bright blue eyes and cherry blossoms dance in my head.

The memory of the scent of cinnamon and sugar fill my thoughts.

I can't help but long to see her smile, to hear her laugh.

When I check my messages on my phone I'm surprised to see that Marinette is still online despite it being late into the night.

Marinette… The girl I've grown to love as Adrien over the years since we met in school when we were thirteen and as Chat during quiet nights spent talking on her balcony.

I grimace when I think back to all of the countless times I said we were just friends.

Will we ever be more than friends? Will I ever get to take her out on a date, hold her hand, or shower her in love the way she deserves?

She's the highlight of every day, my light in the dark. Soon enough I find myself staring at her phone contact and one in the morning.

In attempt to turn off my phone my finger slips and hits the call button.

I freeze in panic and before I know it her voice fills my room.

"Chat? What are you doing up so late?" She asks.

"I uhm, I accidentally called you?"

"People don't just accidentally dial each others' phone numbers when they're supposed to be asleep, Minou…" She blanches.

I huff. "I couldn't sleep…"

"Nightmares?"

"No, not at all… The dream was just too good to be true." I admit.

"What was the dream about?" She asks.

"You." I mumble.

"Wh-What?"

I take a deep breath and brace myself for rejection.

"Do you think we could ever be more than just friends?"


	2. When We First Met

**Alrighty Guys!**

**I was so determined to be able to post this story regularly I sat down three hours ago and wrote like four more chapters!**

**Sadly they aren't very long but I do believe that these words will be pulling at your heart strings.**

**Reviews? Only one? Hopefully I'll get a bunch more as we move along with the storyline. I do love your comments and I love talking with you guys, so don't be shy, send me a review, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this story.**

**Special thanks to ChubbyUnicornMama for my first review! I'm so glad you find this story intriguing.**

**And without further ado, I bring to you! Chapter two: 'When We First Met'**

**Adrien's POV**

When we first met we were tangled up in her yoyo cord. Neither of us knew what we were doing. We made a lot of mistakes but somehow I knew she was the one for me even if she didn't know it yet. She was the most beautiful girl I had ever seen. Forget the models I had worked with. They had nothing compared to Ladybug.

I knew I loved her before I even knew her name or anything about her.

She was incredibly smart and kind towards others. While she may have been shy at first, the more I got to know her the more confident she became. She was and is everything I ever could have asked for.

Even when we made mistakes battling our first akuma I chose to put my faith and trust in her. There's no one that I trust more than my Lady and I wouldn't trade her for anything in the world.

Marinette's POV

When I first met Adrien I'll admit I thought he was going to be just like chloe, rich and snobby. I mean what should a girl expect when she sees a guy putting gum on her seat. I mean he wasn't actually doing that but that's what I saw you know? After that I didn't even give him the time of day, at least not until the thunderstorm came through on our second day of the school year.

I was standing out in the rain preparing myself to walk home when he came through the front doors of the school and saw me. I tried to ignore him but he did the one thing I didn't expect.

He apologized and explained how he had never been to school before and didn't really know how friendship works because he'd never been allowed to socialize with other people.

Before he left he handed me his umbrella and showed me a kind and sensitive side of him that I had never seen before.

Thunder cracked above me and the umbrella closed on my head. He smiled and laughed this beautiful laugh and I knew I was a goner. I had fallen in love.


	3. When She First Realized

**Alrighty my beautiful beans! I am sticking to my promise about trying to keep posts consistent. At the bare minimum I'll try to post at least every three days.**

**I'm so proud! We went and tripled our review count!**

**Special thanks to the amazing people who write me my two new reviews! **

**ChubbyUnicornMama: maybe, to be fair you are the only consistent reviewer so far and I do love my regular readers!**

**Mirami03: yes and no… I'll leave it up to you to figure out why i said yes and no. It is your mission if you so choose to accept it.**

**I love messing with you guys. We have fun hear in my stories. Though honestly the one story I had the most fun with was The Lady Who Texted a Chat, I wrote that with my amazing once was partner in crime. Those were good times… good times.**

**Anyways I must be boring you by now, **

**Onto the story!**

**Without further ado, I bring to you! **

**Chapter 3: When She First Realized**

**Marinette's POV**

Chat Noir has always been flirtatious. Everyone in Paris knew it. Never would I have ever thought that any of his advancements were sincere.

I can't even tell you how many times I brushed him off and laughed like it was a joke.

That day I had made plans with my friends to visit Andre and his Ice cream cart. Everyone else that went had their special someone, everyone except me that is. Adrien couldn't make it. Earlier that day Chat had asked me (Ladybug) to meet him on our usual balcony for a date, but I was so wrapped up in my own heartbreak I never even realize I had broken Chat's as well.

When he stopped by my (Marinette's) balcony it was like I was talking to a completely different guy. I had never seen him like that before. He seemed so vulnerable and hopeless.

Normally he's so cheerful and outgoing with his flirty comments and puns. The only problem was I they weren't just pickup lines. They were so much more than that. He really did love me, you know? All I ever did was push him away and I regret that fact.

**Adrien's POV**

I had been hoping, praying that she would show up, but she never did. Maybe it was the 'she loves me, she loves me not' game that I played while blowing out the candles, but I started to feel like continuing to pursue Ladybug was pointless. At the same time I'm stubborn, I don't give up easily, and I knew and still know that I'll never stop loving her.

So I'll give her a choice. If she feels like there is no possible way she could ever love me then I'll respect her wishes and keep things professional, but if there is any sliver of hope that she might be able to love me then I'll stay strong and wait for the day she'll be ready to love me.


	4. When He First Realized

**Ok, everyone! We're finally starting off with our non-cannon-content.**

**Chapters two and three were mainly to help set the scene and lay down some background information.**

**I hope that answers some of your questions.**

**Ok, I think I'm just gonna go straight into it so, **

**Without further ado, I bring to you,**

**Chapter 4: When He First Realized.**

**Adrien's POV**

I wish I had known what she meant.

It was after class and I was packing up my things, and almost everyone else had already left but I was reluctant to go home. Marinette came up to me with a look of sheer determination and she asked if we could go out sometime and maybe see a movie.

Now there's one thing you really need to know about me. I know nothing about social rules and I had never dated before and had already dedicated my love to Ladybug, so when Nino and Alya walk past I called them over and asked them if we could all hang out together and when they agreed I got so excited, soI told them I can't wait to hang out you guys, you're like my best friends!

Little did I know I had just broken Marinette's heart.

The night had been sorta fun but something felt was really wrong. Marinette barely said anything or even looked at me once that night. Not to mention she didn't even touch her food.

I had screwed up pretty bad but I didn't know just how much it would affect me later that night.


	5. When They First Fought

**Ok so this chapter is kinda depressing and heart breaking…**

**I had a hard time writing it because I wanted to be very careful with my word choice, so like each paragraph I wrote took me like 20 minutes… which is like a record for me because I'm usually really quick about writing. **

**The weird thing is that I had already written this chapter but I completely forgot about it. The good thing is that the second version is way better than how I wrote the first version.**

**So… Reviews anyone?**

**Of course it's amazing to hear from you ChubbyUnicornMama. I'm glad you share the same frustrations about Adrien's obliviousness. **

**And kazza2182 I'm glad to see at least someone likes how I've set up this story. **

**Adrien's POV**

I remember that night. I mean how could I forget you know? At the time that had happened I truly believed that I would never be loved, both as Adrien and Chat.

I had known Ladybug for years and my time with her was and still is precious to me.

I wouldn't trade her for the world, even after the things she had said that night.

I had made a plan. After years of our partnership I still hadn't won the heart of my lady. So that night, after patrol I would ask her one last time.

I had taken the route through the part of paris south of the Seine and she would take the north route. Like usual we met up at the highest balcony on the Eiffel tower. The sky's were clear and you could see for twinkling lights for miles upon miles into the distance. The wind was crisp and fresh, and the moon was crystal clear. The night was perfect, the scenery was romantic, and I had high hopes.

By the time she had finished her route I had already gotten there and settled down on the platform with my feet swinging in the air. I had been so nervous I couldn't even look at her.

I kept telling myself that the worst thing that would happen was she'd politely reject me and we'd still be friends. If only that were true.

My gaze remained focused on the view, even when I felt her sit next to me.

I didn't notice her pain, I didn't see the tears brimming in her eyes, and I never saw the defeated look she wore.

What I did do was start rambling on about how long we'd known each other and how we're the perfect duo. After that I had gone on to talk about how much I cared for her and I wanted to always be by her side, but not just as heroes.

She stayed quiet while I talked so I thought she wanted me to continue.

So I asked her if she could ever love me the way I love her.

My words snapped something inside of her.

I still remember exactly what she had said. I mean how could I forget. The one person I had always trusted with my heart shattered it.

**Marinette's POV**

Even after I had gotten home my words and the shattered look on his face continued to haunt me.

"How could you be so selfish and self centered Chat?! I've told you no about a thousand times! So please dear god get your head out of the clouds and taste the bittersweet reality that I will never love you!"

The more I thought about Chat and Adrien and all of these rejections, the more I felt like I was gonna throw up.

I had never felt more horrible about anything in my entire life.

I had caught a glimpse of his face before he silently disappeared.

He looked at me like his whole world had just been destroyed.

After I had calmed down and realized what I had done I tried over and over again to call him and apologize. The only problem was that every single time I called him he wouldn't pick up.

I eventually gave up and went home, only to lean up against the railing on my balcony as Marinette and stare off into the distance.

I had finally realized I had hurt my best friend more than I had ever thought possible.

All I wanted to do was make it right, to see him again, and mend what I had broken.


	6. When Broken Hearts Collide

**Hey everyone! **

**I might have gotten extremely excited by some of the reviews I received from last night.**

**In fact I got so excited I decided I had to get this chapter written so I could respond to my amazing, marvelous, and wonderful friend, Spidey, whom I haven't talked to in like months!**

**I was so happy to hear from her that I literally half gasped half shrieked and scared my cat. And yes Spidey, I love it when you spam me!**

**Chubby Unicorn Mama: I am so happy to see you back again, Yes last chapter broke our hearts but we're finally getting to the MariChat in this chapter!**

**Alrighty! **

**Without further ado, I bring to you!**

**Chapter 6: When Broken Hearts Collide**

**Adrien's POV**

I did everything I could to keep myself held together. I had never seen her so furious. I swear I had the look on her face burned into my memory. Haunting me and reminding me of just how alone I am.

I stayed out late into the night vaulting through Paris hoping the chill air would help keep my tears at bay.

I had no idea where I was headed or where I had been. I could navigate Paris with my eyes closed. It was all muscle memory by now.

Somewhere in the distance I heard something. Something I never wanted to hear. When I got closer to the source I found myself staring at the balcony above a bakery. But not just any bakery, it was Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. And on that balcony stood Marinette. I didn't know what to think at first. I couldn't just leave her there to mend her heart on her own. She was the first friend I had ever made. I refused to leave her crying, even if I was still nursing my own broken heart.

I made my way quietly onto her balcony. I called out to her and she froze. When she turned to see me she ran into my arms and sobbed.

When I asked her what was wrong she simply told me everything was wrong.

I asked her why she was crying. Even to this day I remember the conversation perfectly.

"I did something horrible Chat. I broke my best friend's heart all because someone broke mine. I'm so sorry.. I can't believe I hurt him the way I did. What if he never talks to me again?"

"It might be hard for you but you should be patient with him. If you both truly care for each other even as friends then you will find a way. Hearts take time to heal. But what about you? Who hurt you. I swear I'll set him straight. You deserve a man who will treat you like a princess."

She looked away from me and mumbled. "I know he didn't mean it. He goes on and on about how much of a good friend I am but for years I've loved him but I know now that I'll never have a chance. I mean he's a world famous model, handsome, kind, and caring, and he goes to the same school as me, but I know he'll never notice me."

I stared back at her in shock because I knew exactly who she was talking about. There is only one model at our school and that's me.

"I'm really sorry Marinette. I had no Idea."

"I think it's time I moved on, you know? I don't think I'll ever stop loving him but it's been years that I've tried to catch his attention and he's never noticed"

**Marinette's POV**

He told me he completely understood how I felt. He admitted his lover, whom I of course knew was me-well Ladybug me at least, always brushed him off every time he tried to tell her just how much he really loved her.

I quickly wrapped my arms around him and told him that Ladybug doesn't deserve him. We held onto each other a bit longer than a normal hug meant for friends.

When he pulled away and headed towards the edge of the balcony, ready to vault away, I called out to him.

I asked him to come inside and forget about love for a while.

He stayed that night and many nights after that, never once speaking of love during our time together.


	7. When the Healing Begins

**Alrighty everyone! Guess what! I actually finished writing all of the actual content for this story! I believe I seem to be having a hard time getting people to read this story and I'm curious if that's because of the title… So… I'm changing it. Yes the new title will be a bit of a spoiler but that's ok. **

**Ok, so reviews?**

**First off, special thanks to ChubbyUnicornMama for yet another review! You're so faithful to this story and I adore readers like you!**

**Also lots of love to Spidey and Birdie! I love both of you and can't wait to talk to you more!**

**Without further ado, I bring to you, Chapter seven of Never Just Friends, When Healing Begins.**

**Marinette's POV**

At first things were awkward but we agreed that when we met we would not speak of our broken hearts or even love in general. Everything was too confusing for us at the time. We agreed that we were here to keep each other company.

We never thought for a second that this would happen.

Little by little over the next year we went from sitting several feet away from each other while we desperately tried to figure out what to say, to me sitting on his lap cradled in his arms while watching our favorite movies, watching the stars go by and talking about anything and everything. Over time the I mended my relationship with Adrien. It took months for me to feel comfortable around him but things got better. I had finally gotten rid of my stuttering around Adrien and we became really good friends.

But things with Chat continued to grow and I never realized how much things had changed until it was my 18th birthday. We celebrated in the park as usual but after the party Chat and I met once again on my balcony, but things were different.

It wasn't like how they say love is like in the books. Sure, his smile made my heart race and I felt nervous but it was so much more than that.

I felt at home in his arms and I think he felt it too when he nearly kissed me. Only at the last second he pulled away, apologise and left.

**Adiren's POV**

I still can't believe that I left. Over the next few months after her birthday we never spoke of the almost kiss. I never admitted how I felt and she never asked.

It was slowly killing me. Things became awkward again and I couldn't handle it anymore.

Last night we met on her balcony like usual and I was going to tell her but I could hardly get out a word. My confidence had been thrown out the window. This was a girl that I couldn't bear to lose. It's clear as day that my feelings for Marinette succeeded anything I ever felt for Ladybug.

Now I'm waking at 2am, staring at the phone that I use only for Chat to talk to Marinette, and praying she feels the same as me.

I find myself staring at her phone contact and one in the morning.

In attempt to turn off my phone my finger slips and hits the call button.

I freeze in panic and before I know it her voice fills my room.

"Chat? What are you doing up so late?" She asks.

"I uhm, I accidentally called you?"

"People don't just accidentally dial each others' phone numbers when they're supposed to be asleep, Minou…" She blanches.

I huff. "I couldn't sleep…"

"Nightmares?"

"No, not at all… The dream was just too good to be true." I admit.

"What was the dream about?" She asks.

"You." I mumble.

"Wh-What?"

I take a deep breath and brace myself for rejection.

"Do you think we could ever be more than just friends?"


	8. After the Question

**Ok so I think changing the name really helped. I ended up reaching out tiny record of four reviews for one chapter! I mean like most of the reviews were your comments about the name change but I am still very grateful. **

**So pretty much I'm going to apologise right now before you read this… I mean I'm not actually sorry… I just don't want you guys to hate me for this… If you're confused about the ending please understand hearts take a long time to heal, some longer than others… **

**Thankfully you won't have to wait long for the next chapter. You'll just have to wait until tomorrow.**

**Love you guys!**

**Adrien's POV**

"Do you think we could ever be more than just friends?" I ask. I feel like time freezes while I wait for her answer.

I hear her sigh into the phone.

"I have something I need to tell you, Chaton, just not over the phone… Can you meet me—"

"I can be there in five minutes." I blurt as my heart races a mile a minute.

"Ok." and I can hear the nervous smile in her voice.

When the call ends my chest feels light, like I'm flying.

A scratchy voice calls from behind me, but it says the last thing I would expect.

"What are you going to do if she says yes?"

"What? What do you mean plagg? I'll love her and care for her, of course."

"And be forced to keep your relationship secret because you're ChatNoir? To only have dates in her room so that no one finds out? Have you thought about any of this? I might not be cupid but even I know true love is not based on secrets, kid." Plagg admits.

My heart sinks in my chest. I never really thought about what would happen after she gave me a chance.

"I… I'll just… I'll tell her then... Everything." I swallow the lump in my throat. "She has a right to know."

"What about Ladybug?"

I thought about it for a moment, she'll most certainly be mad when I tell her I had told a civilian my identity. And the more I thought about it the more I didn't really mind. Sure, we had finally found a rhythm that seemed to work for us and I had only recently began to feel comfortable around Ladybug again, but she was always telling me she wanted me to be happy and Marinette makes me so much more than happy.

"I'll apologize to her later, but for once in my life I'm going to do what makes me happy. I'm not going to sit around and wait for the end of Hawkmoth. We both know that could be years from now and I'm tired of sitting around and living a life I'm not proud of or even slightly happy with just because someone tells me not to take risks. I'm tired of waiting for good things to fall in my lap. I took a risk coming to her balcony that night and ever since she came into Chat's life things have been so much incredibly better in my life. I can't just let her slip past my fingers. I'm going to do everything I can to make this work, no matter the risk."

**Marinette's POV**

After the two minute panic I went through to get myself somewhat presentable I lean against the railing on my balcony.

"Are you really going to do this marinette?" Tikki asks from on my shoulder

"I think so…" I whisper.

"Are you nervous?"

"Yes, Chat is on his way and I have no clue what's going to happen when I tell him, but I do know how I feel about him and that's enough to get me through this, no matter what happens. I'm not going to make the same mistake I made the night I broke his heart."

**Adrien's POV**

When I land on her balcony I see her staring at the stars on the horizon. Her hair shines in the moonlight and I swear she steals the breath from my lungs when she turns to face me.

"You called, Princess?" I try to give her my best cocky smile but It turns love struck when she laughs.

"Actually you called Chaton, that's why we're here, remember?"

I step towards her.

"Ah, that's right, however I seem to remember you asked me to come." I counter as I take another step.

Soon enough we're so close I can see the silver speckles in her eyes. I easily find myself lost in them, completely forgetting what I had come to do.

"Chat?"

"Hey,"

Our voices are just above a whisper when we speak.

"I have something to tell you, Minou."

"I have something to tell you too," I admit

I wrap my arms around her waist and I tuck my head in the crook of her shoulder.

"You wanna do it at the same time?" she asks.

"Sure,"

"3"

"2"

"1"

"Claws in," I mumble.

"Spots on," I hear Marinette whisper and I freeze. A bright light surrounds us and I squeeze my eyes shut.

No longer do I feel the soft cloth of her pajamas against my gloves. I can hardly breath when she pulls me closer. My hands skim across her waist, only to realize she's covered in a smooth spandex outfit. Her gloved hand comes to cup my cheek and my heart drops in my chest. I pull away from her and my whole world shatters.


	9. When They Find Their Other Half

**I have to admit this literally was the longest chapter I have written for this story… and it's the last one too.**

**I know I'm a bit late, happy 4th of July to all you Americans out there like me! **

**What now, you might ask, What will I read now?**

**Good news, beans!**

**I'm working on another long multi chapter fic.**

**I mean I'm still very much in the planning process but we'll get there. As well as I'm going to do my best to get back to belting out Imperfectly Perfect. I only struggle with that one because Adrien's thought process in that story reminds me a lot of my past, back when I was really struggling.**

**Just be patient, yeah? I'm going through some things right now and writing is one of my favorite things to do so I'll get there.**

**Ok, so, Reviews?**

**Thank you to LadyoftheBirds, ChubbyUnicornMama, and Wrightless for their priceless reactions! **

**Hopefully this chapter will give you guys some closure and tie up some loose ends.**

**I love you guys and I really hope to see you in my next story!**

**Without further ado, I bring to you, 'When They Find Their Other Half', the final chapter of the Never Just Friends series.**

**Marinette's POV**

I never expected him to do this, to reveal his identity. Was this what I wanted?

I pull him close, feeling his clothes against my suit. I stare forward, past his shoulder, feeling much too nervous to look at the moment.

Can he feel my heart race against his chest?

I reach to touch his cheek with my hand, my fingers brush over the skin where his mask normally covers. I feel his hands brush over the waist of my suit and he freezes.

When he pulls away I finally see who my knight in shining leather really is.

Adrien.

The boy who sat in the same classroom, not even a meter away from me was my partner, best friend, and the dork I fell in love with, and the goofball that joked and laughed with me on the rooftops of Paris, my partner that fights beside me is the soft spoken model I also fell in love with.

The pieces of the puzzle fit together in my mind, and an entirely new feeling washes over me. That kind of feeling when you find where you belong and you know your place in the world.

I found my other half.

But I watch him push himself up against the railing and grip the metal with his hands until they turn ghostly white. When he opens his eyes I can only watch as he processes who I am.

I see the look of pain on his face before he tries to hide it under the look of calm chaos I've seen Chat and Adrien wear a million times.

"Was any of it real? Or was all of this just a joke to you?" His voice croaks.

"I—"

He walks up to me and jabs my chest, right over my heart.

"Did you ever, even once, feel what I felt?"

I stare at him in disbelief, tears prick my eyes and I stare down at my shoes.

I hear his footsteps walk away from me.

**Adrien's POV**

I watch her stare down at the ground and hear her sniffles, but she doesn't speak up, she doesn't tell me she's sorry, or that she even cares.

It hurts so much worse than I ever thought it could. It erupts from my chest and makes its way through my body until I'm fighting to breathe while I stand next to her. I back away from her and turn to leave. I'm about ready to call out to Plagg who I thought was in my pocket when I see him floating there in front of me. He stubbornly flies over to Ladybug just as her transformation drops. He takes the other kwami's paw.

"The kittens need some time, let's go sugar cube." he grumbles as the two kwami's leave.

I swear under my breath and turn towards the edge of the balcony.

I think about all the times I've been left behind, ignored, and forgotten by the people I needed most. All of the pain from the memories surround me and in a way I'm ok with it. This was how it was meant to be. The keeper of bad luck was never meant to be loved.

We stand in silence and it's hard to tell how much time passes before she speaks.

I do everything I can not to listen to her.

"I know I hurt you, I can't possibly explain how sorry I am. I know I said what I said months ago but I was hurt and none of what I said that night was true."

Tears flood my eyes and I tip my head back and blink them away.

"You told me that, 'It might be hard for you but you should be patient with him. If you both truly care for each other even as friends then you will find a way. Hearts take time to heal.' I was talking about you that night, the best friend who's heart I broke… I was terrified that I'd lose you, Chat…"

I fight the urge to reply to her as the night comes flooding back to my mind.

"I guess I just thought if you wouldn't speak to or even look at Ladybug, I could at least make sure you were ok, when you talked to Marinette.

"I'll admit at first I just wanted to talk to you, make sure you were ok, and if you weren't I wanted to help mend the heart I broke. But then as time wore on I became protective of you, more so than what I was as Ladybug. When I realized you hardly had a home to go home to, I tried to become a home away from home for you."

Her voice waivers and cracks as she speaks.

"Soon enough on days when you weren't here I wanted nothing more than to see you and let you wrap your arms around me. Outside of being Ladybug I didn't feel pressured to keep things at arms length for the press and our safety and the safety of the citizens. I learned more about you in the months I spent with you as Marinette than I ever did as Ladybug, and I…"

She pauses and I hear her hiccup and her gasp shortly. The sound she only makes when she's sobbing.

I turn to see her facing away from me, desperately trying to wipe away her tears. Bit by bit my anger chips away.

"I, I realized I love everything about you, Chat. I love how protective and caring you are, I love your quirks and the silly things you do when you're nervous, I love the way you purr when you sleep next to me, I love those god awful puns of yours, and most of all I love your smile, like when you really smile. Not those fake model perfect smiles you give everyone else." Marinette breaks down into hard sobs and the last thing she can manage to say is "P-Please don't shut me out again Chat…"

I close the distance between us and pull her into a hug, and tuck her head into the crook of my shoulder.

"I'm not going anywhere, Princess. I love you too much to leave." I admit.

I cradle her in my arms until she's calmed down. When she looks up at me with her big blue eyes I wipe her tears and gently press a kiss to her forehead.

"I'm sorry," I admit, still feeling a bit down in the dumps.

"Me too," Marinette mumbles.

My thumb brushes across her cheek and her fingertips play with my hair. When my thumb brushes across her bottom lip she smiles.

"You know there's something I've really been wanting to do for a while…" Marinette's voice fades.

I smirk and move ever so slightly closer to her.

"Oh? And what's that?"

Marinette unlaces one of her hands from my hair and reaches up to touch my face. Of course I leaned closer to her preparing for a kiss. She breaks into a bright smile and pokes my nose.

"Boop!"

It takes me a moment to figure out what just happened, and another to mourn the 'not kiss' before we're bursting out into laughter.

Even when I've already calmed she's still giggling so I decide to take matters into my own hands. I pull her close to my chest and press little kisses along her collarbone and shoulder where her tank top doesn't quite cover.

Her breath comes in quiet gasps as I work my way up her neck and across her cheek. When I reach her lips I pull her into a long and slow kiss.

It was as if I had finally found where I belonged and I couldn't have been happier.

I found my other half.


End file.
